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SIREN has a vision of a new America where immigrants are valued, integrated, and seen as essential to our society, and where the human rights of all persons are protected and honored. SIREN’s core value is immigrant empowerment. We focus on immigrants themselves being the primary agents of change. By strengthening and deepening the participation level and leadership of immigrants, we work toward long-term systemic changes that promote social justice and equality, freedom from oppression, and an end to poverty. Through these long-term systemic changes, immigrants will have the opportunity for individual/social responsibility, self-determination and political participation. By accomplishing this, we will have a society that is compassionate, inclusive and united.

The Santa Clara County Coalition responds to the release of the Republican Party’s principles on immigration reform with the following statement:

In light of the Republican Party’s deeply disappointing principles on immigration reform released yesterday, the Santa Clara County Coalition for Immigration Reform calls on the community to come together to take a stand in solidarity with our families, friends, and neighbors who need real legislative solutions including legal status and a pathway to citizenship for all.

Leaders in the Santa Clara County Coalition organizations expressed that these principles fall far short of what our community has been fighting for and needs, and that the Republican principles do not align with our vision for an inclusive and just nation. After hearing the GOP’s principles on immigration, community leader Urban Guerrero stated, "The Republicans clearly do not understand the situation of undocumented immigrant families in this country. There are no legal ways for most families to get here or stay here. A pathway to citizenship for DREAMers is a start, but we need a solution for the whole family."

In his State of the Union address on Tuesday, President Obama declared that fixing the broken immigration system will grow our economy and shrink deficits by $1 trillion over the next two decades. What Congress decides – or doesn’t decide – to do for immigration reform affects us all, not only the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States.

The Santa Clara County Coalition represents strong organizations in the South Bay who serve, organize, and advocate on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of immigrants in Silicon Valley. We state our own principles, written by and for our community, and we ask you today if you will stand with us in the fight for real opportunity, real hope, and real action by our President and Congress.

“Opportunity is who we are.” President Obama declared on Tuesday that it is an American value to provide opportunities to those who seek it. Parents, workers, and families come to this country for the opportunity to work hard, study more, challenge themselves, and give back to the community. Fixing a broken immigration system is the only way President Obama and Congress can ensure that the “ladders of opportunity” are a reality for those who have helped to build this country.

We have seen today that there are many members of Congress who do not represent our values and our principles. But our struggle continues -- real immigration reform is a necessity, not a luxury to debate, for the thousands of families that the Santa Clara County coalition represents. We urge Congress to support legislative solutions that meet the values that our communities need and ask President Obama to take executive action to end the deportations tearing our families apart.

Join us in our movement for real, commonsense immigration reform and the end to deportations that break families apart, in solidarity with our brothers and sisters who make our economy possible and who deserve a pathway to citizenship.

A just and sensible roadmap to citizenship: Immigration reform must include a clear roadmap to citizenship for 11 million aspiring citizens currently living in the United States as well as for those seeking to be reunited with their families. This common sense immigration process must be inclusive, confidential, affordable, practical and humane. The path should not include long waiting period and must NOT be conditional on enforcement measures. A Roadmap to Citizenship should provide all 11 million aspiring Americans who are here working hard and strengthening our country with an opportunity to achieve citizenship.

Protection of family unity: Immigration reform should reflect our nation’s values of family unity. Currently bureaucratic backlogs for family-based immigration visas are causing heartbreaking separation of American families. Families shouldn’t have to live in fear that every day a loved one goes off to work they may not return home for fear of being detained or deported. Families should be given the opportunity to be with their loved ones and live together in the United States.

Worker protections for ALL workers: The broken immigration system has allowed employers to create a second class of workers, which has effectively reduced working standards for all workers. Having a second class workforce exposes workers to unscrupulous employers and dangerous working conditions. Reform must include access to justice and due process, civil, labor and employment rights for all. Immigration reform must ensure inclusion and protections for future immigrant workers. These protections must include the right to organize, to work together with U.S. workers to ensure safe and dignified workplace standards, and the establishment of wages and workplace rules.

SANTA CLARA COUNTY COALITION FOR COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM

Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI)

Asian Law Alliance

CARAS South County

Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County

Center for Employment Training (CET)

Council on American-Islamic Relations, San Francisco Bay Area (CAIR-SFBA)

SIREN | Services, Immigrant Rights, and Education Network

SIREN’s mission is to empower low-income immigrants and refugees in Santa Clara County through community education and organizing, leadership development, policy advocacy and naturalization services. We believe that all people regardless of legal status or nationality are entitled to essential services, human dignity, basic rights and protections, and access to full participation in society.

As we fight for immigrant and refugee rights, we ask you to consider making a donation or becoming a monthly donor. Your support will directly support free legal services, advocacy work for more just laws, and leadership training for community leaders.

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